Festive wines and nibbles
After the obligatory glass of festive fizz, the Christmas day guests arrive and what better way to continue the fun than offering a glass of something delicious paired with a nibble or two! Obviously, you may opt to pop open another bottle of sparkling but perhaps consider some of these suggestions as an alternative…
Fino or Manzanilla Sherry served with some sushi bites, smoked almonds and nocerella olives.
I love dry sherry. And most people I serve it to also realise how nice it is. Like most sherries, it really is made for tasty Spanish-style nibbles. Serve it chilled but make sure you have enough - it’s quite addictive! The Cruz Vieja Fino pictured above isn’t available in the UK but Williams & Humbert Alegria Manzanilla is one of my favourites and great value too. £6.49 (half bottle) at Waitrose.
Crémant du Jura Brut, Domaine de Montbourgeau NV served with posh crisps (or Hula Hoops!)
This fabulous sparkling Chardonnay could also be a contender for Christmas morning. The gold stars on the label are particularly festive and sure to impress your guests! The wine is bone dry and very well-balanced so is bound to put a smile on everyone’s face. £18 at The Wine Society.
Chapel Down Flint Dry, Kent, England served with taramasalata, crudités and crackers.
This is a great quality English white wine made with a blend of grapes grown in Kent and Essex. Very crisp and fresh with hints of smoke, florals and citrus. The perfect partner to crunchy veg and a fishy dip. £16.49 at Waitrose.
Mencia from Galicia, Spain served with chorizo bites.
Mencia is a recent discovery for me and there is always a bottle or two in my wine rack now. It’s often referred to at Galicia’s answer to Pinot Noir, as the wines are fresh, zippy and light-medium bodied; certain to be popualr with guests. The Proencia pictured above isn’t available in the UK (yet!), but Majestic has an ever growing range of Mencia wines to choose from.
Clos Signadore Inizia Rosé VDF 2021 served with chilli prawn skewers.
Rosé might not be an obvious Christmas day wine choice but it does pair fabulously with so many different foods and rarely do people turn down a glass to decent rosé should they offered one! I really love Corsican rosé wines and this is one of the nicest I’ve had. The wine os biodynamic, the grapes are hand-harvested, fermentation uses natural yeasts plus the wine sits on the lees for 6 months for added complexity. £19 from Uncharted Wines.
What will you be serving with your festive nibbles? I’m keen to hear your ideas!